Iqazh al-Himam fi Sharh al-Hikam, Chapter Two, Part One

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

The following is taken from the first chapter of Iqazh al-Himam fi Sharh al-Hikam, a commentary on al-Hikam of Shaykh Taj ad-Din Abu al-Fadhl Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Atha’illah as-Sakandari (q.s.), by Shaykh Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Ajibah (q.s.). 

You have not abandoned ignorance at all if you want something to take place in any moment other than what Allah has manifested in it.  Ignorance is the opposite of knowledge, and it is said that it is lack of knowledge of the Goal.  There are two categories of it: simple and complex.  The simple is that someone is ignorant and knows that he is ignorant.  The complex is that he is ignorant of his ignorance.  The ugliest type of ignorance is ignorance and denial of Allah (s.w.t.) after seeking to recognise Him. 

Part of the adab of the true gnostic to affirm things where they are and to go with them as they go.  Whenever power brings him forth to eye-witnessing, he is in extreme perfection and flawlessness.  The author of al-‘Ayniyyah said, about that: 

If you ascribe its beauty to everything which is ugly,

The meanings of beauty in it will come to you swiftly.

Its beauty completes the imperfection of the ugly.

So then there is no imperfection and there is nothing ugly. 

Shaykh Ahmad ibn Abu al-Husayn an-Nuri (q.s.) said, “What Allah (s.w.t.) Desires of His creatures is what they have.”  When Allah (s.w.t.) Establishes a person in one of the stations, then it is obligatory for the gnostic to remain in it with his heart, whatever it is, even if the shari’ah does not protect him out of the desire to leave it by policy, and he looks to see what Allah (s.w.t.) will do. 

One of them said, “Anyone who deals with creatures by the shari’ah has lengthy disputation with them.  Anyone who deals with them by the reality, excuses them.”  It is mandatory to deal with them by the shari’ah outwardly and to remind them, and by the reality in the inward and so he excuses them.  If anyone wants for there to appear in a moment other than what Allah (s.w.t.) Makes appear in himself or in someone else has amassed all ignorance and has not abandoned any of it since He opposes the Decree and contends with the All-Powerful.  Allah (s.w.t.) Says: 

سُوۡرَةُ هُود

… إِنَّ رَبَّكَ فَعَّالٌ۬ لِّمَا يُرِيدُ (١٠٧) 

… for your Lord is the (Sure) Accomplisher of what He Plans. (Surah Hud:107) 

If our Lord had Willed, they would have done it.  If Your Lord had Willed, everyone in the Earth would have believed.  Can we force people to be believers? 

In one report, Allah (s.w.t.) Says, “Whoever is not pleased with My decree and is not patient in My Affliction should leave My Heaven and take a Lord other than Me.” 

Sayyidina Abu ‘Abd ar-Rahman ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (r.a.) and Sayyidina ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (r.a.) said, “I prefer to hold a coal which burns what it burns and leaves what it leaves to saying about anything, ‘Would that it were not’!  Or about something which is not, ‘Would that it were!’” 

Shaykh Abu ‘Utsman Sa’id ibn Salam al-Maghribi (q.s.) said, “For forty years Allah (s.w.t.) has not established me in a state which I disliked nor moved to another which angered me.” 

Imam Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali ibn ‘Abdullah ash-Shadzili (q.s.) said in his book, “Whoever recognises the people of the realities of the outward and does not deny them any of their states will obtain what is in their hands and will not be denied any of their good.  Whoever recognises the people of the realities of the inward and does not deny them any of their states, will obtain what is in their hands in every case and will not be denied any of their good.  The gnostic of Allah (s.w.t.) combines the good of both groups and keeps company with both of them.  Every group takes on its own color, like the shaykh of our shaykh, Shaykh Ahmad al-Yamani.  He did not deny any of the states of creation.  He studied with people of the outward in their outward matters and handed them over to them and affirmed them in them, and he studied with the people of the inward in their inward matters and handed them over to them and affirmed them in them.  So he got the best of both groups by the gnosis and wisdom which Allah (s.w.t.) had Given them.  It is said that the perfect wali changes with all levels and fulfills all desires.” 

If anyone reflects on the hadits of the Prophet (s.a.w.) he will find them to be of this sort because the Prophet (shaykh) was the master of the gnostics and the model of the muridun.  He affirmed people in the wisdom with which Allah (s.w.t.) had established them and encouraged them in it.  That is why we find that there were contradictory ahadits while there is no contraction in reality.  If we examine the ahadits about dzikr, we would say there is nothing better than it.  If we examine the ahadits about jihad, we would say there is nothing better than it.  If we examine the ahadits about the excellence of knowledge, we would say there is nothing better than it.  If we examine the ahadits about asceticism, and stripping away the means of this world, we would say there is nothing better than it.  If we examine the ahadits about earning and serving the family, the same is true.  So the Prophet (s.a.w.) encouraged the wisdom in each so that we would say that there is nothing better than it.  That was because so that the people of each category would be at rest and so that they would have a clear sign from their Lord in that.  He did not command them to move from that since Allah (s.w.t.) Desired that wisdom for them.  So he affirmed them in it and encouraged them in it so that someone who listens to the ahadits about it would think that there was nothing better than it.  Indeed, there is nothing better than it for its people. 

In short, the gnostic does not deny anything and is not ignorant of anything.  One of the gnostics said, “There is nothing possible more splendid than what is.”  Its interpretation is that in the prior knowledge of Allah (s.w.t.), there is nothing else possible and so there is nothing more splendid than it.  That will be discussed, Allah (s.w.t.) willing and Allah (s.w.t.) knows best.